Bohemians have appointed former goalkeeper Craig Sexton as the club's first-ever full-time head of academy.
The Dubliner will step away from his position as manager of Bohs' under-19 men's side to take up the newly-created post overseeing all underage development at the club.
29-year-old Sexton has spent the past seven years working in the FAI in coaching development, most recently at Carlow IT, and will leave the association to take on the new role.
He spent three-and-a-half years in charge of the Gypsies' under-19s, winning the league and cup double in his first season, and twice competed in the UEFA Youth League.
Most recently, the 19s were unfortunate to lose the final of the Enda McGuill Cup on penalties to Derry City at the Brandywell.
His work will now see him oversee the club's men's and women's underage sides, including the ongoing partnership with St Kevin's Boys from under-13s to under-17s.
Sexton said: “I have been involved in youth development for a long time. I have always wanted to progress everything that I am involved in.
“Ultimately I am here to develop everyone at the football club wherever I can; structures, coach development and player development.
“I am here to help the whole process and to help everyone reach their potential. I believe we can bring it to another level.
"That is the plan; to support all areas of youth football at the club, boys and girls, as well as with our League of Ireland partners at St Kevin’s.
“We have a great working relationship with St Kevin’s. For the last number of years it has certainly been fruitful for everybody.
"We have benefited and they have benefited, so I am excited about continuing working with the guys and working directly with Stephen Costello.
“But I will be working with all sides; below the League of Ireland teams also at our own club, boys and girls.
"There are a lot of good people there to work with, and I am looking forward to assisting the support layers that are there across all the teams across the club.”
Bohemians are the latest League of Ireland side to professionalise their youth set-up, Shamrock Rovers, Cork City and Derry City having reaped the benefits in recent years.
Rovers' sale of Gavin Bazunu to Manchester City for a fee that will surpass a million euro with add-ons demonstrates one of the potential upsides of the strategy.
Bohs netted a similar figure due to a sell-on clause activated when Matt Doherty, whom they sold to Wolves in 2010, joined Tottenham Hotspur last year.
The current Bohs side features several players to have come through the ranks, including PFAI Young Player of the Year Dawson Devoy, Promise Omochere and Jamie Mullins.
Among those to have moved on to the UK in recent years include Evan Ferguson (Brighton), Danny Grant (Huddersfield), Warren O'Hora (MK Dons) and Ross Tierney (Motherwell).
Sexton, who came through the ranks with Belvedere before joining Bohs as an 18-year-old, believes the resources are in place to make a success of the new role.
He said: “For young players developing at the moment, the resources and supports they have now at academy level are unbelievable compared to what went before.
"We are lucky to have that. We are lucky to be able to support the development of young players. We are in a much better place in terms of facilities available to us.
"We have the use of St Kevin’s resources at Shanowen and St Aidan’s, and Bohemians have a first-class training facility at DCU.
“Everything is on site now, everything is catered for. It is night and day compared to what I played in at that age.
"Don’t get me wrong, I had a really good upbringing and schooling in football as a young player. But what the lads have now is on another level.”
